Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-09-09
Smith Reunion.

The ninth reunion of the Smith
family was held at the residence of
John Smith, Esq, near Gomersal,
Butler county, Pa, on Wednesday,
Aug 3Ist.
1t was pleasant day, long to be
remembered. A large booth and
stand had been erected near the fam
lily mansion. An organ was on the
stand and Prof. Cyrus Harper and
the Smith ladies furnished music for
the occasion.
A table, seventy five feet long,
bore up the choice products of the
Smith kitchen. At this table were
feasted about five hundred of the
Smith family and their friends.
Nearly two hundred horses were
fed and cared for The generosity.
hospitality and kindness were large
enough to embrace all humanity.
Friend and foe were alike hidden to
eat, drink and be merry, for this is
the Smith family
Mr. Hutchison being absent at the
funeral of Mr.. McDeavitt, the address
of welcome was delivered by Simeon
Nixon, who said he was always ready
and proud to eat of the best cake at a
family reunion, for it was hallowed
bread. The family meeting is not an
artificial meeting, not the meeting OF
demagogue for selfish purposes, but
it is meeting that has it's origin in
nature. 1t is the product of the high
est and noblest emotions and alice
tions of our nature And to such
meetings as this, to cultivate family
pride and individual honor. we look
for reformation in our civil govern
ment. Give me Gold and | can buy
the Legislature, the Governor, the
jury in the box and the Judge on the
bench. l can buy everything but
the child from the mothers breast;
and on that mothers knee we must
teach that family pride aud individ-
ua, honor that will neither do aDron 9
nor submit to Vrong. The good
mothers of the Smith family are here.
They boast of no loyal blood, but
their motto is: "Better be poor than
to be mean" Their flag Of family
honor still floats above this table.
The delicacies that cover it are the
fruits of manly toll.
In behalf of the Smith family the
speaker cordially welcomed all to eat
of the bread of honest labor, human
kindness and family affection.
After blessing by Rev. Fish, The
multitude were fed aad the fragments
packed for the laborers' picnic next
day.
VIM. G. Smith, historian, gave the
history of the family. The first
Smith was blacksmith, and made a
hoe for his son John In the year
1894 John came to Butler coun ty
and settled on Bear Greek. He
moved aftcrward to Slipperyrock
He brought the old hoe along The
land on which we stand has always
belonged to John Smith from gener
alton to generation. One Smith
tried to keep bachelors distress here
but the wolves drove HIM away
In union there is strength as we
meet from year to year to honor ouI
fathers end mothers Let Us be true
to the right and true to each other
An essay was read by Miss Mccoy
"Brother be kind to Sister," 1t was
in place and very good John T.
Smith, Of Mercer county, made q
good speech.
Rev. Fish made few appropriate
remarks in reply to addresses of wei
come.
The bes. performance of the day
was a recitation by Miss Annie
: Thompson, Labor for Others.
y, Keep on the Road" and "a Kiss
, Over the Garden Wall" were wei
rendered by Prof. Harper. Chas. Kerr
!, in the course of his remarks, said
u John Smith had always been frient
: to the poor, and in his case he had
been q fatler to the (atherleSs.
The officers Of the next reunion
Z and the time and place Of meeting
amid the good byes ola happy crowd
i were not noted by your correspon
dent
u A FRIEND.